TOLEDO — “Lucas County Commissioners today urged state lawmakers to reject a proposal to create new subsidies for FirstEnergy to shore up its struggling nuclear power plants and have the utility’s customers foot the bill through rate increases.

House Bill 178, or the Zero Emission Nuclear credit bill, would provide a nearly $300 million a year subsidy to Akron-based FirstEnergy to continue operating the Davis-Besse plant near Oak Harbor and the Perry plant east of Cleveland.

The zero emission credit subsidy, which could continue for 16 years, would be paid for by all FirstEnergy customers through a 5 percent increase in the utility’s delivery rate, which works out to be about $5 a month.

Commissioner Pete Gerken said the subsidy program would put FirstEnergy at an unfair advantage over new gas turbine power plants and start-up renewable energy providers.”

Campaigns

Members supporting clean energy in Ohio in 2018

20,162 Ohioans signed our support statement in person at their door in 2018.

6,376 Ohio Citizen Action members sent handwritten letters to their state legislators in support of clean energy in 2018.

2,511 members sent postcards to Ohio legislators, urging them to fix the wind setback rule in Ohio in 2018.

5,262 Ohio Citizen Action members have called their state legislators in 2018, asking them to oppose HB239 a nd SB 155, the latest coal bailout requests by Duke Energy, FirstEnergy, Dayton Power & Light and American Electric Power.